Staff worry over sick leave

British workers are afraid to take time off sick, despite having one of the lowest sickness absence rates in Europe.

Minster Law Solicitors found that four in 10 (42%) workers in Britain are worried about taking sick leave because they are afraid it will jeopardise their jobs. Two-thirds (64%) have serious concerns about the unstable job climate and would be prepared to forgo their basic rights to avoid risking their job security.

Matthew Briggs, chief executive of Minster Law Solicitors, said: “It is clearly an unsettling time and our research reveals that a large number are feeling under pressure to really go the extra mile to ensure they keep their jobs. However, it is worrying that they are prepared to forgo basic employment rights in order to do this.”

The research coincided with the publication of Mercer’s 2008 Pan-European health and benefits survey, which revealed that UK workers are low down the list of European countries for sickness absence. Its survey of companies across 24 European countries found that the average European employee absence rate was 7.4 days a year.

Bulgaria had the highest rates of absence, followed by Portugal and Norway. Turkey reported the lowest rate. The UK and Spain also had rates below the average.

Three-quarters (73%) of total lost working time was due to short, frequent absences (usually fewer than eight days) and a quarter (27%) was due to long-term disabilities.